A point was brought up at last years meeting regarding the seemingly growing population of Canadian Geese that have started to appear on the lake and river area. The HLSMR environmental team has been in touch with parks and conservation areas in Ontario along with Environment Canada on steps we can take to minimize an exploding population on our lake and river. Environment Canada has provided a Handbook entitled Canada and Cackling Geese: Management and Population Control in Southern Canada. It is available at a link below for review and we have highlighted a few key areas below as a summary as they relate to deterrents and controls.

Seasonal Deterrents to prevent the population growth in a particular area

Reduce attractiveness of feeding habitats

Prevent nesting

Prevent Hatching

Scare Pre-moulting geese away

Erect barriers

Lure Geese Elsewhere

Goose Control Prescriptions - Non Lethal

Ensure No One is feeding the geese

Erect Landscape Barriers on property

Modify Grass to grasses not liked by geese

Scaring Techniques - (some that require permit and some that do not)

Removal

Goose Control Prescriptions - Lethal

Hunting

Egg Sterilization or Destruction

Lethal Removal of Geese

There are a number of techniques mentioned throughout the document, and you can find the details about each section at the link provided. The challenge on the lake environment is that Geese will tend to nest where there are no people, which is precisely why many of us have places on the same waterway. If you do find geese nesting on or near your property there are a number of techniques that can be used to relocate them to a different area, hopefully another lake, that are safe and easy to apply by most. Some of the prescriptions above do require outside assistance such as Environment Canada or Minisitry of Natural Resources.

HLSMR

Welcome to the Harris Lake & South Magnetawan River Cottagers’ Association portal. On this site you will find information from various meetings, and upcoming events for the area. If you are not a member of the cottagers association we encourage you to join in and help us preserve our environment for generations to come.